Improvement in knotting apparatus for grain-binders



2 Sheets-Sheet l,

M. A. KELLER. Knotting Apparatus for Grain-Binders.

Nd. 221,921. Patented Nov. 25, 18 79.

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M. A. KELLER- ZSheets-Shgqt 2; Knottlng Apparatus for Grain-Binders.

Patented Nov. 25,1879.

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MOSES A. KELLER, OF BROOKPORT, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNOTTING APPARATUS FOR GRAlN-BlNlDERS Specificationforming part of Letters-Patent No. 221,921, dated November 25, 1879;application filed April 4, 1879.

' operation this device seizes the loop of the cord positively toproduce the knot, so that there cannot be any failure thereof by reasonof inequalities in the size of the cord, accidental slipping, 85c. 4

That others may fully understand the structure and operation of mydevice, I wiil more particularly describe it, having reference to theaccompanying figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device in operative condition. Fig.2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of the same.Fig. 4 is a bottom plan, showing the operation ofthegriper and cutter.Figs. 5 to 16 represent, in elevation and perspective, the successivepositions of the knottin g device during the process of producing theknot. Fig. 17 represents the knot actually produced by this device.

The mechanism for conveying the cord around the bundle and presenting itproperly to the knottin g device may be of any approved description. Inthis patent it is not proposed to include any of the devices forcarrying the grain, conveying the cord around the bundle, or dischargingthe bundle, but only such devices as pertain to the operation ofknotting the cord, folding, and severing it.

In Figs. 5 to 16 one cord only is represented, as it is possible therebyto represent the operation of forming the knot more conveniently andwith less confusion than if the two parts of the cord which are actuallyused'were represented in the drawings, the actual knot being representedin Fig. 17

Before detailing the various mechanisms which are employed to giveeffect to the operative devices which form the knot, the generaloperation for constructing the knot will be described. y Y

Ais a rotary knotting-hook. Its initial po sition is shownin theperspective, Fi 6. The

end of the cord at being held by the griperB expands therefrom upwardand rests in the bend of the hook A, and from thence extends to thespool. The cord-carryin g arm 0 at the proper moment seizes the cord atand conveys it around the bundle in the hook A and in contact with thegriper B, so that the grain is inclosed within a loop of thebinding-cord, two parts of which come together at the hook and griper.the knotting device commences. The two parts of the cord (represented bythe single cord at in Fig. 5) occupy the bend of the hook at the momentwhen themovement of the act ing mechanism of the hook commences. Thefirst moveinent of said mechanism thrusts forward the finger D, so as toiuclose within the bend of the hook the cord to. This position is shownin Figs. 7 and 8. Then so inclosed the rotation of the hook Acommences,'and its second position is represented in Figs. 9 and 10,wherein the reciprocating jaw E has been drawn back toward the bend ofthe hook. The fourth position is represented in Figs. 11 and 12, whenone revolution of the hook has been completed, carrying the bindingcordaround the neck of the hook. The reciprocating finger D has beenwithdrawn from the point of the hook and rests over the end of the jawE, so that that part of the cord which rests above the finger D ispermitted to slip within the point of the hook, between it and the jawE. The further revolution of the hook (shown in Figs. 13 and 14) causesthe jaw E again to advance so as to positively seize that part of thecord which is between it and the point of the hook, holding the samefirmly, while the loop of the cord which surrounds the neck of-t-hehookis caused to slip offby the operation of the mechanism and assume aposition shown in Figs. 15 and 16, wherein the knot is represented ascomplete and ready to be finally discharged from the knotting mechanism,which is effected by the recession of the jawE, as representedin Fig.16.

The griper B is a sliding bar having a notch or L-shaped end, I), facedwith a blade of hard ened steel, so as to form at one edge a cutterwhich severs the cord at the proper moment by shearing against a similarcutter attached to the frame of the apparatus. Below the cutting At thispoint the operation of blade the griper is somewhat enlarged andhas aroughened surface, and acts in connection with a movable counterhavin ga similar surface, the end of the cord being firmly griped between thegriper and counter at the moment the cord is being severed. The movementof the griper B takes place about the time represented in the fifthposition, Figs. 13 and 14, when it is advanced, as shown in Fig. 14, soas to release the end of the cord to receive the cord between thetwister and head of the bin-dingarm 0, so that when said griper isretracted again the cord will be severed and the bundle liberated, andthe new end firmly held as before. These, in general terms, are thevarious movements which effect the kuotting of the cord. The mechansimwhereby said move- 'ments are produced will now be described.

The hook A is placed at the end of a shaft, F to which is imparted avibrating rotary movement-that is, it is caused to rotate for a time inone direction, and then rotate for an equal time in the oppositedirection, so as to bring it back to the point of starting. The forwardrotation spoken of produces theknot, and the return rotation brings thehook back into position to receive the cord for another knot. Thevibratory rotation maybe produced by any convenient mechanism, but suchmechanism does not form any part'of the invention included in thispatent therefore it is neither shown nor described. Means ofapplication, however, is shown in the pinion G, which is attached at therear end of the shaft F. I do not, however, propose to limit myself tothis means-of connecting said shaft with. its prime mover.

A slot, 6, is made through the back of the hook A to receive the jaw E,and along the back of the shaft connecting with said slot there is agroove, within which the shank d of the jaw E is placed, and in which itmay move backward and forward. Near the end of said-shank there isasmall stud, f, projecting outward radially to engage with a suitablecam, whereby the shank and the jaw E are moved at suitable times. Uponthe opposite side of the shaft F there is a similar groove for the shankof the jaw D, the end of which extends into an L-shaped notch in theslot or sleeve H, whereby said jaw D may be moved backward and forwardat the proper times,,as heretofore stated.

Upon the side of the shaft F there is also a transverse notch, I, inwhich the latch y engages at the proper time, and offers a slightresistance to prevent said shaft from revolving and retain it in itsinitial position, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, during its period of rest.

Near the rear end of the shaft there is a beveled pinion, J, which takesits revolution from the pinion G, and is used to actuate the cams whichdetermine the movements of the jaw D and the griper and cutter B. Ingear with said pinion J is a gear-ring, K, and within 1 saidringisacani-wheel, L, havin gupon its face a cam-groove, i, the outlineof which is shown in the drawings. Said cam-wheel is mounted upon ashaft, P, which passes downward through the frame-plate M of theapparatus, and engages with said gear-rim g K by means of .aspring-latch, h, and notch 2, whereby the revolution of the ring K inone direction causes a corresponding revolution of the cam L; but itsrevolution in the opposite direction leaves said cam at rest.

Above the, cam L there is a traveler, N, the upper edge of which isconcave, and fitted to the clutch-groove k on a sleeve, H, and thebottom of said traveler is provided with the stud 42, which rests in thegroove I, and is moved back and forth longitudinally when the cam L isrotated.

The stud a may be provided with the ordinary friction-roller, asrepresented.

The revolution of the pinion J and the gearring K thereof causes thesleeve H to traverse back and forth on the shaft F at times, determinedby ,the curvature of the cam-groove t, and thereby causes correspondingadvances and retreats, with intervals of rest, of thejaw D, as above setforth.

As heretofore described, the first and second positions include merely achange of position of the jaw D, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8. Thatmovement of the jaw D prior to the commencement of the revolution of theshaft F is produced by means of a slot in the pinion J,

and a pin which is inserted in shaft F and placed within said slot Z,whereby the first movement of the pinions G and F would be a freerotation upon the shaft F throughout the limit of the slot 1, becausethe said shaft will not be actuated until the pin 0 traverses from oneend of said slot to the other; but this rotary movement prior to therevolution of the shaft F will be communicated through the gearring K tothe cam L, and is just sufficient to thrust the jaw D forward from itsposition in Fig. 5- to its position in Fig. 7.

The stud f engages with a cam-groove, on, which is made in thestationary block permanently attached to the frame M, so that the jaw Eis caused to move only during the revolution of shaft F. As abovestated, the shaft 1? passes through the frame-plate M, and on the lowerside thereof has mounted upon said shaft a cam-wheel, Q, having upon itsinner face a heart cam-groove, p, thelarger portion whereof isconcentric to the axis of the wheel Q. The shank of the griper B movesin guides on the under side of the frame M, and at its rear en d has astud, b, which rests in the camnary friction-roller. The griper andcutter B is reciprocated at the proper times-by the revolution of saidcam. On the outer edge of the cam-wheel Q there is a notch, q, whichengages with the end of the spring-latch r, and

or, as shown in the drawings, of the sleeve connected with pinion J andthe pinion G,

groove 12, and may be provided with the ordisaid cam-wheel Q is therebyprevented from backward rotation. The griper and cutter B act inconnection with and in position to a yield slightly to accommodate thevarying di-.

ameters of cords.

A rotation of the shaft F may vary from one and a half to one andthree-quarters turns and back again to the point of starting.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is Ina knottinghookhaving a vibratory rotation, a movable jaw within the bend of the hookto separate the parts of the cord wound upon the hook at different timesto gripe one of said parts and hold it positively, as ,described,combined with a movable cutoff, which is advanced to the point of thehook and retained there until, in the revolution of the device, themovable jaw has been retracted to receive the standing end of the cordand form the loop.

2. A knotting-hook, A, having a vibratory rotation, as described, andthe reciprocating jaw E within the bend of said hook, combined with ashank, d, provided with stud f and a fixed cam, M, whereby said jaw iscaused to operate.

3. A knotting-hook, A, having a vibratory rotation, as described, areciprocating finger or jaw, D, the shank whereof moves in alongitudinal groove in said shaft and rotating therewith, combined witha sliding sleeve, H, whereby jaw D is caused to reciprocate at theproper time.

' 4. A knotting-hook, A, having a vibratory rotation, as set forth,provided with a slot, 6, and the jaw E, reciprocating in said slot,combined with a stationary cam to actuate said jaw,and a reciprocatingcut-01f finger or jaw, D, and a sliding sleeve, H, whereby said fingeris actuated-..

5. Theshaft F, having at its forward end the knotting-hook A and thereciprocating cutoff jaw D, and a sliding sleeve, H, which is providedwith a groove, 70, combined witha traveler, N, and a wheel, L, which hasa camgroove, '6, for the purpose of actuating said traveler and sleeve,as set forth.

6. The knotting-hook A, having an intermittent vibratory rotation, asset forth, and a cut-off, D, rotating with said hook and reciprocated bythe sliding'sleeve H, traveler N, and cam-wheel L, provided with aspring-latch, h, combined with a gear-ring, K,"having a notch, 75,whereby the revolution of the said ring in one direction will rotatesaid hook and reciprocate said cam and cut-0E, and in theother directionwill leave said cam and traveler at rest.

7. The shaft F, having at its front end the knotting-hook A, thereciprocating jaw D, the sliding sleeve H, the traveler N, cam-wheel L,and gear-ring K, constituting a train to move said jaw D, combined withthe driving-pinion J, mounted upon said shaft, and connected thereto bymeans of the slot Z and pin 0, whereby,- at the commencement of motionin either direction, said pinion has a free movement upon said shaft,determined by the length of said slot, for the purpose of imparting aninitial movement to said jaw D, as set forth.

8. The shaft F, having the vibratory rotation and periods of rest, asset forth, provided with a notch, I, and combined with an elastic latch,g, to offer slight resistance to the rotation of said shaft and hold itin proper position dnrin g its period of rest.

Moses A. KELLER.

Witnesses:

R. D. 0. SMITH, G. CLARENCE PooLE.

